As prepared for delivery Introduction Good morning. The Honorable Philip Davis, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Minister Halkitis, Distinguished Governors, Heads of Delegation and Members of the Delegations; Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank and IDB Invest, Ladies and gentlemen. It's a pleasure to be here. The Bahamas offers us an ideal venue for our meetings and our discussions on how we can foster sustainable development and growth for our region. These principles of respect for the environment and its people are rooted in the ancestry of these
Most Caribbean businesses are either innovative or potentially innovative but still face challenges, according to a new report by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). This edition delves into the critical role of innovation in driving economic growth and productivity in the Caribbean region. Innovative businesses in the Caribbean have 26% to 35% higher levels of productivity and 21% to 81% higher sales per worker than non-innovative firms, depending on the type of innovation, according to the report titled "Innovation for Faster Economic Growth in the Caribbean: Are We There Yet?". The
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados– The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Development Centre of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) launched a new publication, Caribbean Development Dynamics, that provides comprehensive insights into how Caribbean countries can unlock their economic potential through the energy transition, the blue economy, sustainable tourism, and the digital transformation. The publication was presented at an event attended by IDB President Ilan Goldfajn, with the virtual participation of OECD Secretary General Mathias Cormann, and panel
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a Conditional Credit Line for Investment Projects (CCLIP) of US$100 million and a first individual loan of US$50 million under this credit line to upgrade potable water supply and sanitation services in the Bahamas. The program approved by the IDB's Board of Executive Directors aims to improve potable water services coverage in the Family Islands and New Providence, and sanitation services reliability in New Providence. In addition, it will improve the operational and financial performance of the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC), its
• The Bahamas Debt Conversion Project for Marine Conservation will generate an estimated US$124 million in savings for marine conservation over the next 15 years. The Government of the Bahamas launched a new debt conversion project that will save it an estimated US$124 million over the next 15 years and enable it to improve ocean conservation and management of the Bahamas Protected Areas System. The project, supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), The Nature Conservancy (TNC)’s Nature Bonds Program, and other partners allowed the government to buy back US$300 million in
A new publication by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Compete Caribbean urged Caribbean countries to advance on key reforms to improve the business environment and boost firm productivity in a bid to accelerate long-term growth. The book, “ Are We There Yet? The Path toward Sustainable Private Sector Development in the Caribbean ,” analyzes opportunities and challenges for key policy reforms aimed at increasing the competitiveness and dynamism of the region’s private sector. This comprehensive book offers a regional perspective, encompassing 13 Caribbean nations: Antigua and
Pension systems in the Caribbean will run out of funds within the next 10 to 15 years unless urgent reforms are implemented to ensure their sustainability, according to a new publication by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Caribbean countries can build more resilient safety nets for their aging populations by addressing administrative inefficiencies, improving investment strategies, and considering adjustments to retirement age, among other measures, according to the report titled “ Building Resilient Safety Nets in the Caribbean: Future-Proofing Retirement Incomes.” The report is
The international meeting organized by the IDB's innovation and venture capital laboratory will promote innovative solutions that generate impact at scale in Latin America and the Caribbean. IDB Lab, the Inter-American Development Bank's innovation and venture capital lab, will hold the third edition of IDB Lab Forum Oct. 31-Nov. 1 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Forum is a flagship event dedicated to business innovation, venture capital and technology for development. This edition will focus on financing innovation and development of entrepreneurial ecosystems to generate greater impact in